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7 Reasons To Fish Sitka In September

June 26, 2015 Leave a commentThe Captain's BlogBy Captain Tom Ohaus

When our season’s end approaches, the coho fishing turns into a trophy hunter’s paradise. There is no better time to catch big coho salmon than during the final weeks of our season. We still have availability during this underrated stretch and we want to share 7 reasons why you should fish Sitka in September.

1. Silvers – Coho salmon, aka silvers, grow at a rate of roughly a pound a week during the last summer of their lives, but only if there is plentiful feed. That means a silver that was 7 pounds on July 1 could be 15-18 pounds by September. September provides a shot at the elusive 20-pound silver and the average size will be well above 10 pounds.

2. Kings – Although the main run of kings has passed, it’s not unusual to catch kings. Most will be maturing fish, destined to spawn in the fall and some will be downright big. We’ve caught kings over 50 pounds during this time. Consider kings the icing on the silver cake for this time of year.

3. Halibut – The big flatties are found in very strong numbers late in the season and if bait is abundant inshore, some very good fishing occurs while pursuing salmon.

4. Light Crowds – With kids headed back to school, deer season open, and summer racing to a close, there are fewer and fewer boats on the water. Having a wide-open silver bite all to yourselves with the wilderness shore in the background can’t be beat.

5. Sleeping In – The sun rises later and departure time shifts from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. It’s still early, but that extra hour feels pretty good. Don’t worry, you get the hour back at the end of the day, you won’t be shorted on the fishing.

6. Different Areas – During this special time of year, cohos are not only caught on the open ocean, but move to the inside waters in search of their native rivers. We often fish inside areas that rarely hold fish other times of the year. These areas are flat, quiet, and close to land. The beauty of unique scenery is a bonus when mooching for our chrome friends.

7. Reduced Rates – As we mentioned above, summer vacations are over, but the fish don’t know that. They’re still here and they are hungry! We offer a discount as an extra incentive for you to take one last vacation before the leaves begin to fall and another season has passed by.